[Freedom]

Unregistered,
I would agree with what others have posted already. I will state that I view the purpose of man as being ultimately to glorify God. Consider Jesus’ words in Matt 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (NKJV)

Here is a simple verse that helps Christians to realize their purpose on earth. For WL, I’m afraid that because he was so consumed with his idea of “God’s economy”, that he missed the simple things like this. So a verse like this doesn’t receive any emphasis in WL’s ministry, it even mentions “good works”. Well, here Jesus said that good works can bring glory to the Father. If I were to point this out in the LC, I might be accused of trying to “distract” people from God’s economy.

In regards to deification, I think a lot of our views have been made known already on various threads. I can’t speak for anyone else, but to follow up with what others have already said, I don’t see sufficient Biblical basis for WL’s doctrine, and it’s really as simple as that. The lack of acceptance of this kind of teaching among Christians is an indicator that it should be approached with caution.

Much of the support WL provided for his teaching seems to be iffy at best. Take for example John 10 - the chapter which those in the LC use in order to “prove” WL’s teaching. In that chapter, Jesus was speaking of himself, answering various accusations that had been made. At no time did he ever apply his argument to anyone but himself.

A passage I’ve referenced before, which I believe casts a shadow of doubt on WL’s doctrine of deification is Acts 14:11-16
11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 16 who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. (NKJV)

Notice how Paul and Barnabas were very quick to clear up the misconception that they were anything but human beings, they emphasized that were “men with the same nature as you”. How does this compare with what WL taught, that we could become God in life and nature? Needless to say, I believe that it is presumptuous for those in the LC to do things like go around declaring that they are “god-men”. Paul and Barnabas would have nothing to do with that. Neither should those in the LC. I think that ultimately, WL found support for his teachings and quickly disregarded anything in the scripture that detracted from his teachings.